Into The World of Micro Miami Weddings
August 20, 2022
Kristelle Boulos
Ever wonder what a micro wedding is? Interested in having one? Go no further than Sophia Benitez-Levy. Small, intimate weddings are the specialty of this Miami-based wedding planner and designer.
Benitez-Levy is the owner, lead planner, and “multitasker” of Micro Miami. The goal? To make sure people feel enamored with their choices in wedding planning, whether that means 1 guest or 80. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, Benitez-Levy finds inspiration in seeing the entity of marriage come to life every weekend, even if the festivities resemble more a private dinner than an all-our bash.
“People disregard the small, beautiful things in life, and they’re out there waiting for you just to see it and realize you need them.”
The idea for Micro Miami had been in the air since 2019, when Benitez-Levy planned her own wedding. She had 12 guests, including the bride and groom. Bills and other responsibilities kept her from pursuing this dream full-time, until COVID happened. She started freelancing and was eventually approached to plan a wedding from scratch, all on her own.
“I work with my heart. [As] long as I am giving my all while also keeping really good boundaries and moving forward in a direction of the unknown…it’s gonna eventually bring something back.”
The very real brush with mortality of the disease propelled Benitez-Levy to take the leap. Fake it ‘til she made it, in a way, and she left the stable income aside to pursue her—not-so-micro—micro projects.
“Although I have a niche for smaller weddings, I have a mighty team behind me and we believe in how marriages should be created out of these wedding experiences.”
So, Why Micro Weddings?
Micro weddings allow the bride and groom to savor the wedding day and the hours leading up to it differently. They don’t have to worry about what needs to be done next, or who should be invited.
As a freelancer, Benitez-Levy remembers getting to the end of a wedding with the bride and groom being miserable from shaking hands with 200 people. Or, maybe a couple had spent money to buy more dinner plates for a large guest list, instead of paying for the things that were more important to them, like a videographer.
They create a chance for the couple to focus on what matters the most—each other. The gap between an engagement and a wedding is when fights, problems, and stress related to planning happen. That can be avoided by doing a very small, but elegant, memorable, lux wedding.
The Wedding Planner: To Hire or Not to Hire
The truth is that wedding planners are the least thought-of vendor.
If you have been following a photographer forever, you might be obsessed over their work and book the expense without question.
Maybe you have a dream venue you’ve been visualizing—a family home, a public garden, a hotel— for that, you make a down payment on the reservation and you’re set; the venue is yours.
Then, there’s florals. They can be beautiful, elegant or extravagant, and everybody can see them. You are able to see where your money went.
When it comes to planners, however, especially the likes of Benitez-Levy—designers, stylists, and coordinators—the expense might feel prohibitive, but only if you’re not thinking about all the solutions that having a wedding planner does bring—you’re paying for peace of mind. And, what’s the cost of that?
Benitez-Levy’s special brand is intentional, unique, not formulaic design. As the bride and groom, you’ll get what you want from your day. Maybe that means eating pizza after the “I dos” in a dolled up venue of your choice. Whatever your vision, the wedding planner is there to keep an eye on your project, on your wedding day, and ensure everything goes according to plan.
“There is nothing perfect in this life, and it is funny to think that your wedding will be perfect […] [I prefer using] the word excellence rather than perfection, because we can do everything in our power to ensure your wedding day goes accordingly with excellence.”
To hear more about my conversation with Sophia Benitez-Levy, check out the Capturing Connections podcast episode.
If you’re a couple and are looking for a wedding photographer to capture your intimate wedding with unique and meaningful photographs that represent the essence your love, INQUIRE HERE!
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